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Lakers point guards Nash, Blake injured in Game 2 loss

Sam Amick, USA TODAY Sports
2:31 a.m. EDT April 25, 2013

Los Angeles Lakers guard Steve Nash (10) reacts to a foul call during game two of the first round of the 2013 NBA Playoffs against the San Antonio Spurs at AT&T Center.(Photo: Soobum Im, USA TODAY Sports)

Story Highlights

Steve Nash and Steve Blake's availability for Game 3 is up in the air after injuries

Nash re-aggravated his hip, hamstring and back soreness in Game 2 loss to the Spurs

SAN ANTONIO - Gary Vitti needs a raise. And the Lakers, no matter how good their longtime trainer may be, need to stop paying him so many visits if they have any hope of prolonging their postseason.

As if their 102-91 loss to the San Antonio Spurs wasn't bad enough for the team that trails 0-2 in the Western Conference first-round series, the status of their top two point guards is now in question after Steve Nash and Steve Blake came up lame on Wednesday night at the AT&T Center. Nash, who missed the final eight games of the regular season with hip, hamstring and back soreness before returning in Game One, re-aggravated the all-in-one injury in the first half and played through even more pain than normal until the end. Blake, who had become a primary backcourt scorer in light of Kobe Bryant's absence (Achilles tendon tear) and Nash's hobbled state, strained his right hamstring.

Nash, who had just nine points (four of eight shooting) and six assists in 31 minutes, will have his third epidural in eight days on Thursday with the hopes of being able to play in Game Three in Los Angeles on Friday. Blake (16 points on six of 15 shooting) will have an ultrasound on Thursday to determine his condition as well.

"Unfortunately I tweaked it in the first half and tried to keep going," Nash said. "It got worse as the game went on, so I'm kind of back against it again.

"I'm going to have a repeat epidural in the morning and see if I can get any improvement out of it and then we'll see on Friday."

Jodie Meeks is unsure if he'll play Friday as well, as the Lakers guard sat out with a sprained left ankle in Game Two and will have an MRI on Thursday.